Name meaning & stats
Brendan
Brendan means “high, exalted” (Irish origin). 91,602 US babies since 1940, peak 1999. Notable Brendans are 2.5× over-represented as ice hockey players.
What it means
“high, exalted”
IrishWell documented
In US birth records
Peak year: 1999
91,602 US babies were named Brendan between 1940 and 2025.
Where Brendans end up
Not enough notable Brendans yet, so this uses the spelling family: Brendan, Brendon, Brenden.
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Ice hockey player | 2.5× | High · 32 people |
| Actor | 1.3× | High · 30 people |
| Basketball player | 1.2× | Medium · 24 people |
| Footballer | 0.9× | Medium · 23 people |
Among notable men who are ice hockey players, the Brendan family show up 2.5× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.
Notable people born 1940–2005 in the US, UK, Canada and Australia (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.
One more thing…
Brendan has a surprise career: 1.4×
Spelling family
The most common spelling: 66% of the family
Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.
Name twins (peaked around 1999)